Top in ID: Hospital cuts infections by 80%; US reports locally acquired malaria cases
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A Pittsburgh hospital curbed neurosurgical infections by more than 80% over 2 years through a multidisciplinary intervention that assessed adherence to surgical site infection prevention recommendations, data show.
“It was important for us to bring in the other groups like physical and occupational therapy, environmental services and facilities management so they could see their role in preventing infections,” Katie Palladino, MPH, CPH, CIC, an infection preventionist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Mercy, said in a press release. “Getting patients on board in their own infection prevention also proved to be a critical step.”
It was the top story in infectious disease last week.
Another top story was about the first locally acquired U.S. cases of malaria in 20 years. Over the last 2 months, health officials identified four cases in Florida and one in Texas, although the CDC maintains that the risk for acquiring malaria in the U.S. is “extremely low.”
Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:
Pittsburgh hospital reduces neurosurgical infections by more than 80% in 2 years
An initiative that focused on surgical patients’ paths from pre-op meetings to hospital discharge reduced neurosurgical infections by more than 80% over 2 years at a Pittsburgh hospital, researchers reported. Read more.
Florida, Texas report first locally acquired malaria cases in US since 2003
The CDC issued a health alert after two states reported the first locally acquired malaria cases in the United States in 20 years. Read more.
TB vaccine candidate gets up to $550 million in funding for phase 3 trial
Wellcome and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced that they will provide up to $550 million in funding for a phase 3 trial of a tuberculosis vaccine candidate. Read more.
Multiplex PCR assay detects four respiratory viruses with single swab
A multiplex PCR assay was able to detect and differentiate between four respiratory viruses — influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2 — researchers reported at ASM Microbe. Read more.
Hepatitis C cure rates ‘jarringly low’ as many lack access to treatment
An analysis of data from 2013 to 2022 showed that only 34% of people diagnosed with hepatitis C in the United States were cured or cleared of the virus, with many still lacking access to highly effective treatments. Read more.